• UCLPartners managing director Sir David Fish has been appointed to chair leaders’ group for Essex success regime. 
  • Group has to oversee the production of a “detailed implementation plan” by February
  • Success regime was launched to turn around areas with serious care quality, performance and financial challenges

UCLPartners managing director Sir David Fish has been appointed to chair “a system leaders oversight group” to develop a delivery plan for the Essex success regime, HSJ has learned.

Sir David will chair the system leaders’ group for just a matter of weeks with a brief to oversee the production of a “detailed implementation plan” by the 12 February, according to a letter sent to system leaders and seen by HSJ.

HSJ has been told the plan will cover mid and south Essex with the north to be addressed at a later date.

Prof David Fish

Prof David Fish, UCL Partners

Sir David Fish has been appointed to chair ‘a system leaders oversight group’

NHS England, Monitor and Care Quality Commission have ordered the leaders’ group to develop an “outline plan” to present to the tripartite’s regional directors “in the week commencing 18 January 2016” and stressed “it is very important that these deadlines are met”.

HSJ understands the lack of progress on the Essex success regime has been a source of frustration among senior figures in the Department of Health and the NHS.

The success regime was launched as the service’s flagship programme to turn around areas with serious care quality, performance and financial challenges.

A letter sent by the tripartite’s Essex regional directors detailed what it termed the “initial governance” arrangements for the Essex success regime.

The leaders’ group, which includes senior leaders from all the NHS providers, commissioners and upper tier councils across the county, will also be charged with developing longer term governance plans.

Boston Consulting Group has been appointed to provide “external support” until mid-February.

The letter said: “Professor Sir David Fish, managing director of UCLPartners has kindly agreed to chair a system leaders oversight group for the next phase of the success regime until February 2016. This initial governance will be in place for this period of time to undertake the detailed planning for the success regime during which time decisions will be made for the longer term governance arrangements for the programme.

“The timetable for the detailed implementation plan is to complete by 12 February 2016 and to ensure that an outline plan is ready for presentation to regional directors in the week commencing 18 January 2016. It is very important that these deadlines are met.”

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens confirmed in June that Essex, north Cumbria and northern, eastern and western Devon would be the first three areas put into the success regime.

Sir Neil McKay was appointed chair of the North Cumbria success regime in September while Dame Ruth Carnall was appointed to chair NEW Devon in October.

A UCLPartners spokeswoman said: “David and the UCLPartners team are delighted to be supporting this early stage in developing new models of care in Essex.

“Professor Sir Fish will continue in his role as managing director of UCLPartners [while chairing the Essex leadership group]. Learning and improvements in care from the success regime in Essex will be shared with partners across north central and east London, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire to maximise the benefits for patients and the population.”

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